Car roof



March 17, 1936, c, D BONSALL. 2,034,375

CAR ROOF Filed May 1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Z f NVENTOE March 17, 1936. D, B L 2,034,375

CAR ROOF Filed May 1, 1935 2 Sheets-5heet 2 Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAR ROOF Application May 1, 1935, Serial No. 19,178

10 Claims.

This invention relates to car roofs, and more particularly to the metal running board constructions of metal car roofs of the type wherein the roof is formed by metal sheets that are connected by rigid upstanding seams that function as carlines. The principal object of the present invention is to devise a strong, simple and economical light weight metal running board construction that can be quickly and easily applied to roofs of the above type. The invention consists in the metal running board construction and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a portion of a metal car roof provided with a metal running board construction embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a partial cross-section through a roof rib on the line 22 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a similar cross-section adjacent to the roof seam on the line 33 in Fig. 1,

' Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section on the line 44 in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary perspective view of the car roof and running board construction; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a running board saddle and portions of the running board that cooperate therewith.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in connection with a rigid allmetal car roof comprising roof sheets A that slope downwardly from ridge to eaves of the car where they are turned down and rigidly secured by rivets to the side plates B of the car. The roof sheets are connected along their adjacent side margins by rigid upstanding seams or ribs 0 that extend transversely of the car from eaves to eaves and comprise upstanding flanges 2 along said side margins which flanges are straddled by inverted seam caps 3, said flanges and caps being riveted together by horizontal rivets 4. As shown in the drawings, the roof sheets A are provided between the seams C with raised, flat-topped ribs D that are of less depth than said seams and merge into the general level of the sheets adjacent to the eaves ends thereof.

The roof is provided with a metal longitudinal running board construction comprising sections E that extend from seam to seam with their end portions resting on metal running board saddles F rigidly mounted on said seams. Each of the running board saddles is a sheet metal member comprising a vertical flange 5, which is secured v cated therebelow and are secured at one end to fiatwise to one side of an upstanding roof seam C by the securing rivets 4 therefor, and a horizontal top flange 6 that overhangs said seam. The vertical flange '5 of each of these angle-shaped running board saddles is bent outwardly at its ends to form end flanges 5a on one side of the seam; and the horizontal top flange 6 of each of said saddles is bent downwardly at its ends to form depending end flanges lid on the other side of said seam. 10

As shown in the drawings, each of the metal running board sections E is a composite or builtup section comprising counterpart sheet metal members that extend from running board saddle to running board saddle with their ends resting on the horizontal top flanges 6 thereof. These counterpart sheet metal members are provided along their adjacent margins with depending flanges l, which are rigidly secured together by rivets 8, and along their other side margins with depending flanges 9. The flanges 1 terminate in laterally bent portions that rest on the top of the roof rib located therebelow. The flanges 9 of each section of the running board clear the roof rib 10- 25 the end flanges 5a of one saddle and at the other end to the end flanges 6a of the other saddle; and the portions of said flanges above said rib are supported by and secured to Z-shaped sheet metal brackets II] that have their webs secured flatwise against the inner faces of said flanges with their top flanges bearing against the undersides of said section and with their bottom flanges resting on and preferably welded to the top of said rib.

The hereinbefore described metal running board construction is very light, adds practically nothing to the height of the car and can be quickly and easily attached to the roof without any alteration thereof. The running board sections are supported on and rigidly secured to the running board saddles; and said sections and saddles may be readily made from sheet metal. The flanges 1 and 9 along the middle and both sides of said sections serve to strengthen and stiffen them; and the load on said sections between seams is 5 transmitted to the roof ribs by the middle flanges- I and by the brackets I0 fixed to the side flanges 9.

In order to prevent slipping of the brakemen, the upper surface of the running board is roughened or covered with a suitable material (indicated by the stippling I I). For this purpose the upper surface of the running board may be painted with a heavy coat of bituminous material and then sanded.

What I claim is:

1. A car roof having upstanding seams and ribs disposed therebetween, and a running board comprising sheet metal sections extending from seam to seam across the ribs therebetween, said sections being provided along their longitudinal middle and marginal portions with depending flanges, said middle flanges resting on said ribs along the ridge line of said roof.

2. A car roof having upstanding seams and ribs disposed therebetween, a running board comprising sheet metal sections extending from seam to seam across the ribs therebetween and pro-. vided with side marginal flanges, and brackets secured to said marginal flanges and resting on said ribs,

' 3. A car roof having upstanding seams, metal running board saddles secured to said seams and having horizontal top flanges overhanging said seams and vertical end flanges disposed on opposite sides of said seams, a metal running board comprising sheet metal sections extending from saddle to saddle with their ends resting on the horizontal top flanges thereof, said sections being provided along their side marginal portions with depending flanges, and means for securing the ends of said marginal flanges to the end flanges of said running board saddles.

4. A car roof having upstanding seams, and ribs disposed therebetween, metal running board saddles secured to said seams and having horizontal top flanges, overhanging said seams and vertical end flanges disposed on opposite sides of said seams, a metal running board comprising sheet metal sections extending from saddle to saddle with their ends resting on the horizontal top flanges thereof, said sections being provided along their longitudinal middle and side marginal portions with depending flanges, means for securing the ends of said marginal flanges to the end flanges of said running board saddles, said middle flanges resting on said ribs, and brackets fixed to said side'flanges and resting on said ribs.

5. A car roof having upstanding seams and ribs disposed therebetween, running board saddles secured to said seams, a running board comprising sheet metal sections extending from saddle to saddle, with their ends resting thereon, said sections being provided along their longitudinal middle portions with flanges that rest on said ribs and side marginal flanges that are secured to the ends of said saddles, and brackets secured to said side marginal flanges and resting on said ribs.

6. A car roof having upstanding seams and ribs disposed between said seams, and a metal running board comprising sections extending from seam to seam, each of said sections comprising counterpart sheet metal members provided along their adjacent side margins with depending flanges that are rigidly secured together fiatwise and rest on said ribs.

7. A car roof having upstanding seams and ribs disposed between said seams, and a metal running board comprising sections extending from seam to seam, each of said sections comprising counterpart sheet metal members provided along their adjacent side margins with depending flanges that are rigidly secured together fiatwise and rest on said ribs, said members being provided along their other side margins with dependcounterpart sheet metal members provided on one side with depending flanges that are rigidly see cured together and on the other side with depending flanges that are rigidly secured to the ends of said saddles.

10. A car roof having upstanding seams and ribs disposed between said seams, running board saddles mounted on said seams, a running board comprising sections extending from saddle tosaddle, each of said sections comprising counterpart sheet metal members provided on one side with depending flanges that are rigidly secured together and on the other side with depending flanges that are rigidly secured to the ends of said saddles, said first mentioned flanges, resting on said ribs, and brackets fixed to said other flanges and resting on said ribs.

CHARLES DAVID BONSALL 

